Darkness Brightness
by Kei Arisugawa
Summary: YAOI. Karsh wants to be with someone, but unseen enemies have plans of their own. Gyadarun x Karsh. R&R please!
1. Default Chapter

**Darkness, Brightness  
**  
Hiho! I wrote a Chrono Cross fic. This is a yaoi featuring two of my fav characters in the game, one of which is Karsh. I've never seen this pairing so I, as a pioneer of unusual yaoi pairings, decided to write a fic about it Hope you like! And yes, the fic title comes from a Gundum Wing song...i like the song! ;p  
  
Note: I'm using the Japanese names for these people. I think they sound better. Some of the names never originally changed, like Serge, Karsh and Glenn. Other names like Gyadarun(Grobyc) Lutianna(Luccia) and Marcella(Marcy) were changed or shortened. I have no idea what Dario's Japanese name is(or if it changed at all) so I'm leaving it as Dario.  
  
Copyright shit: Chrono Cross ain't mine, so don't sue me. You'll get a bunch of anime figurines, plushies and a PS2 that you'll have to kill me to get!!  
  
Warning: Yaoi. You no like, buzz off. You like? Read on and tell me how I can improve!  
  
Critiques are much appreciated! For peeps who flame me or want to: "Don't you have better things to do with that excess energy of yours?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
Slick, polished shoes walked professionally down the metallic corridor. Their wearer was donned in a perfectly cut military uniform stained a dark navy to signify him as an elite member of the Porre military. Three lesser soldiers marched behind him, machine guns in hand and cocked as they always were. The sound of their shoes was the only noise that echoed in the mostly empty hallway as they proceeded toward the door at the far end.  
  
The hissing sound of the laboratory door opening alerted the scientists inside of the presence of newcomers. Most of them briefly giving the soldiers a glance before returning to their work. One particular man who was much older then the rest of the lab occupants walked over to the soldiers, extending his hand to the elite soldier who stood in the doorway.  
  
"General!" the scientist said in a spindly , his large glasses magnifying his pleased eyes to twice their normal size. "On time as usual, I see."  
  
"Idle chit-chat isn't my purpose for being here, Professor Umbar." the general said in a curt, business-like tone that left no room for argument on the part of the professor before him. "I've come to ask of our newest weapon and it's progress." Umbar's beady black eyes narrowed and his fidgeted at the mention of the project. This did not escape the general's sharp eye. "I trust it's progress is going well?" his voice, though questioning, left enough room to add not-so-subtle warning in it. The professor continued to nervously fidget.  
  
"Well....sir, the weapon itself is holding up quite well. In fact, tests indicate that it is ready for field testing..."  
  
"I like to hear good news, Umbar." the general's low voice sounded satisfied, a tone that did not match the serious expression on his face. "But your hesitation to provide me with that answer indicates that you are hiding something, so you can stop your ridiculous fidgeting and tell me what I want to know."  
  
Umbar took a couple of steps away from the general and turned his back on him, wringing his hands with worry. A sharp step echoing in the lab informed him that the general had entered the lab. Quickly turning around and still wringing his hands in front of him, Umbar aimed his beady eyes at the general, timidly.  
  
"Sir, since the loss of our top cybernetic experiment, we have no trigger for the GiGa Arm. The weapon itself was made in similar model to the Strong Arm which was lost years ago, but both designs were made for holster on the bionic trigger. Without the trigger, it won't work."  
  
The general watched the nervous scientist with a sharp eye. He was well aware of the fact that they had lost their bionic trigger in a seemingly minor field mission in El Nido two years ago. Not only had the mission failed and control of Termina had gone back to General Viper, but their bionic trigger had disappeared. Spies in Termina and Arni hadn't once reported a sighting since then. The Porre government hadn't really worried about it since they had given up their search for the Frozen Flame and the trigger was their to control their most powerful compact weapons: The Strong Arm and the GiGa Arm(which was still being developed at the time).  
  
Their goal was entirely different now.  
  
"So the weapon is finished?" the general asked in his curt, military trained voice. Umbar nodded.  
  
"Yes, and it will work if it has a-" the scientist began, but the general cut him off before he could get another word out.  
  
"You keep your focus on the weapon and it's maintenance. Let me worry about finding the trigger."  
  
"But do you have any idea as to the location of him?" Umbar had to ask. "He could be dead for all we know!"  
  
A cold smile spread slowly across the Porre general's face and his sharp eyes narrowed like a cat who had sighted it's pray. "I have an idea."

TBC 


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**: _At the End of a Faraway Sky_

---------------------------------------------------  
  
The night was upon the Viper Manor. The air smelled faintly of sea salt and the plant life that grew in the gardens and by the sea cliffs while the sky remained clear and star-filled with the moon showing fully overhead. Karsh sighed as he leaned against the railing of the walkway which lead to the library, surveying the grounds of the manor that were in his line of sight. Flower gardens that Lady Riddel took care of so much and various trees that suited the scenery perfectly. Everything about the manor seemed wonderfully silent and peaceful, against the usual clamor that was abound in the place.  
  
The ghost of pain caused him to instinctively clutch his shoulder. It had been about two years since Karsh had assisted Serge in his mission to save the world from the Time Devourer and he thanked the gods that he wouldn't have to go through a battle like that ever again. He'd been sore for weeks from the spell damage the monster had caused him and he was pretty sure the same went for the rest of Serge's friends who helped. Sometimes the old battle pains would return and Karsh would request to be alone until they subsided. His fellow Devas, Lady Riddel and Lord Viper would simply nod and leave him be until he showed up again.  
  
A gentle breeze rustled his lavender hair, cooling his skin and somehow dulling the old ache and replacing it with an empty dull feeling. Karsh was familiar with the feeling, but didn't know weather to be thankful or resentful for it. It usually wasn't in his nature to let little things from the past affect him seriously, but he couldn't help but reflect on it. Too many good things had happened to him during his adventures with Serge that he had a hard time letting them go and moving on.  
  
Am I going soft? he thought to himself as he brushed some of his pale hair out of his face. I just can't forget...  
  
Golden eyes slid closed for a moment, remembering the rescue of Lady Riddel from the Porre forces who occupied Viper Manor at the time. His most frequent memory was of that time, when they were escaping and they were forced to fight one of Porre's employed assassins who would later join them.  
  
I first saw him on the battlefield. My first impression of him then was a fierce fighter with no mercy. But...after he joined our cause, I found I could look past his exterior...and then he was beautifu-  
  
Karsh roughly shook his head, as if to dispel the very thought from his mind. He had to forget! The past adventures were all over and he had to move on, just like Serge and the others did...just like he did...  
  
"Hey, Karsh." a male voice spoke from behind him. The Deva warrior, surprised by the sudden and unexpected sound of another's voice, spun around quickly and grabbed the other's neck in a choke hold. A man with dirty blond hair, slightly younger then him, gasped for air and tried in vain to pry Karsh's hand off of his throat, fixing at him with shocked expression. Recognizing the visitor, Karsh let go of his neck and leaned back against the railing, giving the younger man a stern glare.  
  
"What do you want, Glenn?" he asked, his voice laced with ice. The younger Dragoon knight rubbed his throat, which had slight bruising on it due to Karsh's grip.  
  
"I only came up here to tell you that Orcha has made dinner. I figured you'd want some so-" Glenn began, retaining a defensive stance just incase Karsh decided to attack him again. The older warrior snorted disdainfully.  
  
"Leave me alone. I'm not hungry." he answered, curtly and turned his gaze back out at the view below the walkway. Glenn, however, made no move to depart from Karsh's company.  
  
"My friend, what's wrong? You've been unusually quiet recently. Please tell me what troubles you." the young man said, concerned written on his face and evident in his voice. Karsh said nothing in response, which angered Glenn. "Karsh! Tell me why you're being like this! It's not like you!"  
  
"Shut up!" Karsh shot back without bothering to turn his head to face Glenn. "What part of 'Leave me alone' don't you understand? Isn't Lady Riddel missing you by now?" he finished sourly.  
  
Glenn's eyebrows shot up at the mention of his lover. Since the end of the Time Devourer, he and Riddel had become very close and she had finally ended her mourning of Dario's passing and moved on. Glenn had even been planning on proposing to her but was trying to earn enough money to buy her a ring. The tone Karsh used in reference to Glenn's relationship with her aroused the young Dragoon knight's curiosity and made him suspicious.  
  
"Why the bitter tone, Karsh? Are you after Lady Riddel's affections?" Glenn asked, deliberately baiting the Deva to get an answer out of him. Karsh, on the other hand, chuckled scornfully and shook his head.  
  
"If an answer will give me back my privacy, then no. I admit I did have a crush on her when I was younger, but it kinda tapered off...Damn...why can't things be simple anymore?" his voice was quiet and the laugh he finished with was filled with sadness and pain. Glenn took a step foreword and placed a hand on the Deva's shoulder.  
  
"Karsh..."  
  
"No...forget it, Glenn. It's my problem."  
  
Glenn removed his hand from the lavender-haired man's shoulder, and moved to stand next to him, trying to look into Karsh's face. He knew Karsh was in one of his 'moods', but it had never been this bad before. It was usually two or slightly more hours of solitude then Karsh was be back to his grumpy, bad-mouthed, overly disciplined self. This time, however, something more specific then just the adventures and battles they had been through two years ago was involved...and Karsh was almost entirely absorbed in it.  
  
"No, I'm not going to forget it, Karsh. What's making you so mopey like this? Please tell me. You can't let things fester inside of you or you'll end up destroying yourself."  
  
Karsh was silent for a moment, thinking about what Glenn said. It's my problem...not Glenn's. It's not his business that I'm in love with....  
  
"Please go away, Glenn." Karsh said, his voice regaining it's stern commanding tone that Glenn recognized right off the bat as a defense method that deva used all the time.  
  
"Who is she?" Glenn blurted out, hoping his wild guess was right. He had known other members of the Arcacian Dragoons to act similar to this when they were pining or lovesick. What else could it be..?.  
  
The speed of which Karsh turned his head to look at Glenn and the mix of anger and surprised on the older man's face confirmed Glenn's suspicions. "You're in love, aren't you Karsh?" The Deva frowned at him and looked away, but Glenn continued, "There's nothing wrong with that! Just tell her how you feel. The worst she can do is say no and I highly doubt any woman would refuse your advances." Glenn nudged Karsh's side playfully, but backed away at the murderous side glare that the older warrior had aimed at him.  
  
"Lemme give you some advice: Shut your mouth before I shut it for you! You have no idea what you're talking about!" The tall Deva snarled with his usually animalistic anger flaring up. Glenn had no right to attempt to understand his situation with what little he knew.  
  
"You know something? You're right, Karsh. I have no idea what I'm talking about and I won't until you tell me! Stop trying to be a lone wolf! You never know, I actually might be able to help you. You don't know and you won't know until you decide to open up and let the weight off your chest."  
  
Glenn fixed his eyes on Karsh's, silently letting the other man know that he wasn't going to leave until he knew what was wrong. Karsh sighed and looked forlornly at the manor grounds below, which were painted in silver light by the two moons. He had to hand it to Glenn, the kid was relentless and persistent. Karsh was getting tired of Glenn interrupting his time alone and he was positive the younger Dragoon wouldn't leave. He looked over at Glenn, who simply looked back expectantly, and Karsh couldn't' help but smile. What would the look on Glenn's face be if he told him the truth? The very idea was almost enough to convince Karsh to say 'Screw it' and tell Glenn just for the reaction. But that wasn't an idea in his best interests.  
  
"Karsh?"  
  
Pulling out of his thoughts at the sound of Glenn's voice, Karsh looked back at the younger man, who had a look of concern on his youthful, scarred face. He was genuinely concerned for Karsh's welfare, the long-haired man knew that. Glenn had always been the one to go to Karsh for advice and help when they had been younger. Perhaps now Glenn wished to return the favor.  
  
I'd love to give the kid the chance but... Karsh paused his thoughts. But what? Glenn's right, I can't go moping around every time I think about him...it'll eat me alive... he sighed and met Glenn's eyes in a serious but non-defensive look. I need to get this off my chest...and Glenn just so happens to be here.  
  
"Alright, alright, Glenn." the Deva sighed, rubbing his temples to relieve some of the tension that liked to start up when he got into one of his 'moods'. "I'll admit you've got a point that I can't spend the rest of my life doing this, but are you sure you want to be the one that hears this?"  
  
Glenn's eyes lit up in triumph as a huge grin spread across his face. Finally, Karsh was opening up, if only a little bit, but he was now willing to talk about it. "Yes, of course." the young Dragoon said, his grin changing to a pleasant smile, obviously in efforts to make Karsh feel more at ease. "I'll listen to whatever you have to say. No matter what it is."  
  
That didn't help Karsh's uncertainty about telling him, but since the pale- haired Deva had already agreed to spill his guts, there was no turning back.  
  
The worst he could do is faint... Karsh thought humorously then spoke. "Yes, Glenn. You were right. I'm in love and that's why I prefer to be alone when I get all nostalgic about the events two years ago."  
  
Glenn nodded, understanding the nostalgia Karsh felt. He, too, would get that way at times. Only, he had Riddel to be there with him and to comfort him if any memories became too overwhelming. Likewise whenever she had unwelcome flashbacks of the adventures two years ago. Karsh, on the other hand, had no one to relate to...or, more specifically, no one he wanted to relate to.  
  
"So it was someone who traveled with Serge?" Glenn asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Karsh nodded and Glenn folded his arms, turning the new information over in his mind. At least that narrows the possible people down. he thought, then spoke to Karsh, who was no longer looking at him, possibly out of embarrassment.  
  
"Who was it?" Glenn asked, trying to revive some sort of conversation on the subject at hand.  
  
Hearing this, Karsh remained silent and simply stared at the manor grounds with a light pink tinge staining his cheeks. Getting the idea that Karsh was uncomfortable to just come out and say it directly, Glenn took the silence as an opportunity to guess.  
  
"Is it Lutianna?" the young man asked, speaking the first female name that came to mind, which happened to be the eccentric scientist of Viper Manor. Karsh chuckled lightly and shook his head, shooting Glenn an amused look.  
  
"If I was attracted to her-- which I am not-- I would have sliced my head open with my own axe. You've got to be kidding me!" Karsh turned his head back out at the view of the land and continued quietly. "No...the only person I want I'll most likely never see again..."  
  
Glenn frowned at the sadness in Karsh's voice. Why was he so certain that he would never see the one he loved again? Hopelessness just didn't suit the tall Dragoon Deva. "You'll see her again, Karsh. I'm sure of it."  
  
"Hm..." Karsh hummed, letting Glenn know that the young man still held part of his attention, but the tall Deva knew that his smaller friend wasn't helping his situation. "Glenn...I know you're trying to help me but you should stop. Now."  
  
"What?? Well, you're not exactly helping me out here, Karsh! The least you could do is tell me or give me some sort of hint!" Glenn threw his arms up in exasperation. There were times Karsh was so impossible that Glenn wanted to scream.  
  
"You want a hint?" the pale-haired Deva challenged, glancing sideways at the young Dragoon.  
  
"It would be nice!" Glenn's annoyance was visible in his voice. Karsh smirked and avoided Glenn's glare.  
  
Here comes the bomb... Karsh thought humorlessly and spoke, "It's not a girl."  
  
A breeze blew, rustling their hair as it passed them. Neither said one single solitary word. Glenn was too busy looking at Karsh like he had just grown a second head and Karsh calmly waiting for the younger man to speak.  
  
"It's...a man?" Glenn managed after a few more moments of deafening silence. Karsh nodded in response and Glenn swallowed nervously. He never suspected a man as stern or masculine as Karsh to take such an interest in men. Now it was clear why the taller man had been so reluctant to speak with him about it. Karsh already suspected that Glenn would not understand. I won't allow him to believe that! Glenn thought sternly, forcing all the queasiness to leave his stomach, Karsh trusted me with this much and I can't back down now and hurt his feelings just because the idea doesn't appeal to me.  
  
"If you wanna leave now, you can." Karsh's now dull voice broke the silence. Glenn started but stayed put.  
  
"I'm...n..not going to." he stated, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. "I don't care if you love a man...I came here to help you and I will!"  
  
Karsh chuckled somewhat mockingly at the smaller Dragoon. "You're not doing a very good job Glenn, but I appreciate your concern."  
  
"..and I'm trying to help you, Karsh. Stop treating me like a child! You wouldn't speak like that to Zoah or Marcella, would you?" Glenn shot back, the pouty look on his face showing clearly that he felt insulted by Karsh's manner towards him.  
  
A sigh, "Alright, alright. I'm sorry for offending you, SIR Glenn. Would you like me to clean your armor to make up for insulting such a high ranking Dragoon knight? Please don't tell General Viper about this or I'll be flogged for sure!" the thick sarcasm in the statement made Glenn's frown deepen.  
  
"This is the thanks I get for trying to help out a person I consider a friend; a second brother practically!" Glenn slammed his fist on the stone railing, his temper flaring up. "I came up here, concerned for your welfare and you treat me like an imbecile! You won't even let me help! The least you could do is tell me his name before you sink back into the little hole of self-pity you've dug for yourself!!"  
  
Exhausted from his outburst, Glenn leaned against the railing and folded his arms, his angry glare fixed on Karsh, who's surprised look made the young Dragoon smirk in satisfaction. Never in his life had Karsh seen Glenn blow up like that. The apocalypse must have been nearing if Glenn decided to throw all safety to the wind and go off like that to the same man who used to keep him in line by promising bodily harm when they were younger.  
  
The tall Deva sighed and turned away from Glenn, looking torn between telling Glenn and staying silent. The sandy-haired man's frown melted back to the concern that he held when he first arrived on the walkway.  
  
"What's wrong? It is that hard to tell someone a name..." a sudden frightening idea popped in Glenn's head, "...it's not me, is it?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Hm..." Karsh breathed, giving Glenn a smile that only one who had been battling with their feelings for far too long could manage. "No...and for the record, I've never thought about you like that...Dario, yes. You, no."  
  
Glenn let out a sigh of relief louder then he had meant. He could gratefully exempt himself from the list of possible Karsh love interests and even though the idea that Karsh had once felt for Dario unnerved him, Glann thought it best not to pursue the subject in too much detail. "Then who is it? Surely it's not still Dario."  
  
"No. My feelings for him died with him. I can move on with my life after deaths."  
  
"Then who?" Glenn waited for a response and finally heard Karsh mumble something. "Beg your pardon?" the young knight said, his manners with conversation shining through, "Mind repeating that?"  
  
Karsh coughed then stood silent for a few moments, as if debating weather to honor Glenn's request, then spoke, loud enough for the other man to hear. "Gyadarun."  
  
Glenn blanked, not comprehending. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Gyadarun." Karsh repeated, tiredly. "You asked me to just tell you and I did. Happy now?"  
  
Glenn could almost feel his jaw hit the walkway floor. Had he heard correctly? "Gyadarun...you mean the Porre cyborg assassin Gyadarun?"  
  
Glenn got a severely annoyed glare for his question, "No! Gyadarun the midget trapeze artist! Why did I even bother telling you anything?" Karsh responded harshly. His eyes reflected chips of the coldest golden ice as he turned to leave. Glenn, who was still recovering from hearing about it and remembering something, quickly grabbed his arm. Karsh's head snapped around, coldly glaring at the younger Dragoon. "Let me go."  
  
"No..." Glenn said, firmly. "I told you I would help you with your problem and I will. You're pining for him, right?"  
  
"I prefer to call it 'dwelling upon'" Karsh corrected, not wanting to sound like a sissy by calling it 'pining'.  
  
"Alright, 'dwelling upon'. But you think you'll never see him again." At Karsh's annoyed nod, Glenn's face broke into a large, smug grin.  
  
The Dragoon Deva eyed him suspiciously. "What are you so smug about all of a sudden?" he asked, not used to seeing Glenn look so sure of himself about something.  
  
Glenn tried hard to hold back laughter. "Go visit Lutianna's lab, Karsh." he said, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Karsh sweatdropped. He really wasn't in the mood to put up with Lutianna's obnoxious accent and disturbing methods of conducting research. "I think I'll pass." he said, smoothly, easily pulling his hand out of Glenn's grasp.  
  
"Come on, Karsh!" Glenn insisted, grabbing the Deva's hand and pulling him toward the manor entrance. "Gyadarun is down in Lutianna's lab."  
  
The lavender-haired Deva's eyes widened in surprise and, after a moment, narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "If this is a joke, Glenn..." he growled in a threatening tone. Glenn immediately let Karsh's arm go and held up his hands, showing a face of pure innocence.  
  
"I swear on my family's honor!" he said, seriously. "I don't know what he's doing here or why. All I can tell you is that I saw him in Lutianna's lab an hour or so ago."  
  
"Hmph....did he say anything?" Karsh asked, sounding a little more interested then he had meant to.  
  
"Nothing I could hear...but he was gesturing at his mechanical arm. I don't know if he's still there but it's worth a try, isn't it?" The dark blond boy answered, suppressing a smile at Karsh's eagerness.  
  
"Thanks...." was all the tall Deva managed while pushing past Glenn and practically running into Viper Manor. Glenn simply looked after him, smiling. He was glad he had gotten the Deva to allow him to help.  
  
After all, it wasn't every day Karsh was in love.

TBC 


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**: _A person who appears in my mind is only you _

-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Karsh knocked over several Dragoon knights on his way to Lutianna's lab. Several of them, too angry to take their jobs into consideration, yelled and called him a plethora of colorful names, but Karsh didn't care. The elation he felt tuned out their voices.  
  
After two years...two long years...he could finally see Gyadarun again.  
  
For some odd reason, Karsh had felt a strange attraction toward the Porre cyborg ever since their first encounter in Viper Manor. Gyadarun was leaning against one of the pillars in the main hall, watching the Porre soldiers who had accompanied him be defeated by three people. When he finally faced them, Gyadarun had simply told them he would follow those stronger then him and proceeded to attack them. Karsh had a difficult time with that battle. He was so fascinated by the tall cyborg that he couldn't concentrate on his attacks and defenses. The Porre assassin was such an interesting creature to Karsh that he couldn't think of hurting the cyborg. Gyadarun had obviously noticed the Deva's lack of concentration and had used it to his advantage by attacking the him more then the others. Serge and Radius were furious at him for not being able to hold his own in the fight, mainly because they ended up protecting him, but Karsh didn't care.  
  
He was elated when the cyborg asked to join them after the commotion at the Vipor Manor. Whenever he got the chance, he'd tag around the cyborg, who preferred to spend his free time alone. The lavender-haired Deva blushed slightly, remembering the countless number of times the Gyadarun had caught Karsh staring at him. The most unusual part about the times when the Porre cyborg found Karsh out, he would look at him with a questioning look, like he had no idea why Karsh would find him so interesting.  
  
If he only knew why I watched him then...damn...why the hell did this place get built so maze-ish?! Didn't the architects ever hear the phrase "The shortest distance between two points is a straight li-  
  
Karsh's thoughts were quickly interrupted by a collision with a tall, muscular form.  
  
"Oof!" Karsh let out as he fell back on his rear end, letting out a stream of colorful curses. Looking up, he saw Zoah standing in front of him. The giant offered his hand to Karsh to help him up. Karsh refused Zoah's help and pushed himself up, giving the giant Deva an annoyed look.  
  
"KARSH?" Zoah boomed what sounded like a question. Karsh snorted, then noticed that Zoah wasn't in the hallway alone.  
  
"Like, where's the fire?" Marcella asked, her hands on her tiny hips. She had been standing next to Zoah the entire time; her presence went mostly unnoticed thanks to her tall companion.  
  
"Lay off you two. I'm in a hurry." Karsh complained, trying to squeeze past Zoah's broad frame, which was taking up most of the hallway space.  
  
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" the helmeted Deva asked, his head tilting slightly to one side to show his interest in what the answer could be. Karsh scowled up at Zoah, who showed no signs of fear from the shorter Deva's icy glare.  
  
"None of yer business, bigfoot." The lavender-haired Deva growled rudely at his fellow Devas. Marcella gave him a disapproving look, which caused Karsh's self assurance to waver. Sure, Marcella was a cute little Arcacian Dragoon Deva, but she could be as nasty as a rabid dragon with a toothache when she wanted to be. One of her biggest boasts was that she was the most bad-tempered of the Devas, even when Dario was alive.  
  
"Well, excuuuuuuuse me, Mr. No-Manners! All Zoah wanted to know was where you were dragging your useless self and you go and bite his head off! Look! Now you've hurt his feelings!"  
  
Marcella pointed up at her tall companion who looked to be quite normal for a man with only a leather pair of battle undies and a helmet on, but Karsh's ears managed to pick up the faint sound on sniffling coming from inside Zoah's helmet.  
  
Now Karsh felt bad. He had made Zoah cry.  
  
Despite his height, fierce fighting skills and loud voice, Zoah was as sensitive soul who liked to look out for the best interests of his fellow Devas. One of the main reasons he constantly wore a helmet was to hide the fact that he cried when Dragoons were killed.  
  
"Damn..." Karsh groaned, rubbing the back of his head nervously. He'd been present at times when Zoah had cried before, but even then he always let Marcella handle it. Now it was his fault and he had to handle it as best he could, Damn...I'm gonna screw this up... "Hey...Zoah?"  
  
The tall Deva's helmet turned in Karsh's direction, indicating that he had the large man's attention. Karsh scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. This wasn't going to be easy.  
  
"Um...Zoah...listen, I'm really...sorry 'bout yellin' at you. I need to be somewhere and it's really important to me." Karsh gave Zoah's arm a friendly smack, which to the tall Deva felt like a tap. "You understand, right?"  
  
Zoah remained silent, which gave Karsh the idea that he was pondering over whether he should forgive his fellow Deva for being inconsiderate and rude. Karsh gritted his teeth, losing patience with Zoah's slow response. He had somewhere else to be after all.  
  
"Um...Zoah...I really hate to say this right now but could you hurry it up a little?!" the lavender-haired Deva growled through his teeth and whispered closer to the helmet for good measure. "I'm kinda in a hurry, if- you-know-what-I-mean!"  
  
Realization seemed to glow from inside the helmet. "OOOOH! I GET IT!" Zoah said, giving Karsh a 'knowing' nudge. "SURE I FORGIVE YOU, KARSH! YOU JUST GET GOING!" Zoah gave Karsh a light shove in the direction he had been heading, sending the smaller Deva halfway down the hall. The somewhat shaken Karsh turned and gave hesitant wave back before hightailing it down the rest of the way and through the door that led to Lutianna's lab.  
  
Marcella glared after Karsh then turned to Zoah. "Well...you, like, forgave him pretty fast. I swear, Karsh needs to, like, learn some manners." she turned tail and started off down the opposite end of the hall when she stopped and turned back to Zoah, who was coming up just behind her. "Hey. I saw the two of you whispering. Like, what did he say to you?" Zoah shook his head.  
  
"NOTHING IMPORTANT. JUST GUY STUFF." Marcella raised a skeptical eyebrow.  
  
"'Guy stuff'..." she repeated, unconvinced that it was the truth but seeing Zoah's vigorous nod, she shrugged, deciding to drop it. "Whatever."

-------------------------------

_Gah...I hate this place! _Karsh thought as he looked around the empty lab, shuddering at the thought of the types of experiments that were conducted in that very room. Rusty cages, which usually were housing some of the most disturbing sights Karsh had ever seen, were still and empty. The entire room seemed as eerily silent as a grave. Looking over at Lutianna's desk, he saw several scattered notes and unusual looking odds and ends. Curious, he picked up a stray page and began to read it over.  
  
"Hm...genetically enhanced bulbs performed poorly in the field test...yadda yadda." Karsh hummed to himself as he read the sheet, not understanding a single word on it. "Ugh...s'all Dragonian to me." and tossed the page carelessly on the table and looked about the room again. "Gyadarun?" he called, not sure if he should be worried that the cyborg wasn't there or angry for probably getting there too late.  
  
"How-did-you-know-Gyadarun-was-here?" came a silky, semi-monotone voice that Karsh knew all too well. He spun around and looked by the final cage against the far wall. Gyadarun was leaning against the wall, partially hidden by the shadows cast by the thick iron bars of the cage next to him. Silently, the cyborg pushed his weight back on his feet and slowly walked over to Karsh, eyeing him with tense suspicion.  
  
Karsh froze, feeling two feet tall under the stern, cold eyes of the Porre cyborg. Despite the fact that he cared deeply for the tall bionic man, he still couldn't help but be somewhat intimidated under the piercing ruby glare that had promised death for so many. "Um...Glenn told me." Karsh said quickly, getting a little nervous both with fear and excitement.  
  
Gyadarun snorted and leaned against the operating table in the center of the room, his arms folded in an almost automatic fashion that Karsh couldn't help but notice had a subtle grace to it. "Really?" he asked with what could only be described as monotone surprise, but his face seemed to display utter disinterest. "Then-why-are-you-here?"  
  
"Errg..." Karsh flustered, not sure of what to say. What should he say? He had never been the greatest at expressing feeling through speech; action was more of Karsh's style! The only thing wrong with that was that if he did do something rash, like running up and stealing a kiss from Gyadarun, he could easily provoke the cyborg to violence. "I just...uh...came down here to see...um......" Karsh lowered his voice and mumbled out the rest, feeling uncomfortable with Gyadarun's cold eyes on him. Please stop lookin' at me like that...  
  
"Why?" the cold voice cut through the uncomfortable silence in the room. "Is-Gyadarun-that-fascinating-to-you?" seeing Karsh's shocked and confused face at the statement, the turquoise cyborg smirked under the red cloth that covered the lower half of his face and tapped one of his ears, silently telling Karsh that he heard what the deva had mumbled.  
  
Karsh mentally cursed at himself for his stupidity. _Gyadarun's a cyborg, you moron! Everything about him is enhanced....I wonder if he's enhanced everywhere...? _the deva's thoughts wondered ideally, before snapping back to reality, _NO! Keep the train of thought away from there!! Bad Karsh!_ he looked desperately at the cyborg, noting how Gyadarun studied him. Karsh felt like he was a bug under a microscope, like one of Lutianna's specimens being regarded for purely scientific reasons. He couldn't help but wonder if the cyborg had been regarded as much in Porre. _Probably, damn Porre bastards!  
_  
"Well?" Gyadarun asked, slight impatience in his voice. Karsh blinked, momentarily forgetting that he had been asked a question.  
  
A question he wasn't sure how to answer.  
  
Gyadarun did fascinate Karsh, but the deva wasn't sure how to explain himself to the cyborg. His interest hadn't stayed the same since they had met. Karsh's feelings had grown over time and developed into something more then just fascination. He looked at Gyadarun's steely eyes, devoid of human emotion and focused entirely on Karsh. The deva swallowed and unconsciously clinched his fists in frustration. "I...yes." he managed, forcing himself to look at Gyadarun. "You do fascinate me but....ah I dunno, it's kinda more then that. It started out as nothin' more then interest. You really caught my attention but...ah DAMMIT!"  
  
The Deva swore not only at the fact that he couldn't finish what he was going to say but that he had started rambling and making himself look like a total fool in front of Gyadarun.  
  
This action didn't go unnoticed by the taller warrior, who narrowed his eyes impatiently at the other man. Karsh had been a constant annoyance during the mission two years ago. Gyadarun almost never had one moment to himself. Wherever he went, Karsh followed like a curious child looking at him wide-eyed, like he was the most interesting thing in the world. Even for all the experiments that had been performed on him at the lab, Gyadarun still had an organic human brain and it registered Karsh's behavior as unnerving for a human being. The motivations behind Karsh's constant following, however, remained a mystery to the cyborg.  
  
Suddenly, the door to the lab swung open and Lutianna stepped in, carrying a small, wooden box with a large book balanced on top. She didn't notice either of the men staring at her since the book blocked her vision. Turning around, she kicked the lab door shut and walked toward her work table where she deposited her burden and started unpacking the contents of the box.  
  
"So sorry to keep you vaiting, man-machine." she said, not looking up as she pulled out many strange looking things that, by the look of them, wouldn't be safe in Lutianna's hands. "I had to git some extra vorking materials." She smiled smugly and held up a utensil that looked like a cross between a saw and pliers and playfully maneuvered it in a snapping fashion. "Shall ve get started? Ohhohoh-" she stopped in mid cackle as she finally noticed that someone else was in the room with them. "...Oh...Vat are you doing here?"  
  
Karsh, feeling braver when it came to dealing with Lutianna face to face opened his mouth to speak when he was cut off by a cold curt voice. "He-is- leaving."

TBC! 


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**: _I'm hiding my tears..... _

----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Both Lutianna and Karsh looked at the tall cyborg, who had pushed himself up from leaning on the operating table and stood full height, glaring at the lavender-haired Deva. Karsh seemed to shrink under the severity of the garnet eyes that were on him. Gyadarun had the same dangerous look about him that both the deva and the scientist hadn't seen in two years.  
  
The look of a soulless killer.  
  
"I...but..." Karsh started, unconsciously backing away from the imposing form that was slowly advancing toward him, showing no signs of attacking or defending. Gyadarun was just stalked foreword at a slow enough pace to seem threatening. The deva hated backing down in a situation, but a sickening feeling in his stomach told him that it was either back away or lose his head in this case. The cold eyes kept Karsh mesmerized in awe and slight panic until he felt himself bump against the wall near the door of the lab. Gyadarun stopped before Karsh, giving mere inches between them and no room for the deva to run. Karsh's eyes swept around for any openings or chances to put a bit more distance between them but found none given what little was to his advantage at the moment. Summing up some courage, looked up into the bionic assassin's face. Gyadarun stared back at him, no emotion visible in his face as he stood towering over Karsh.  
  
"Leave." The cyborg repeated, the volume in his voice dropping slightly, which made him sound more threatening. "Now."  
  
Somewhere within the sickening feeling of fear that made his stomach do somersaults, Karsh felt his heart sink. Gyadarun obviously didn't want the deva around him and made that painfully clear in his words and body language. Clinching his fists in anger and sadness, Karsh turned his gaze from the towering Gyadarun. It was useless to push the subject of staying.  
  
"....'right..." he managed to barely whisper, his eyes fixed on the floor to the left of him. Karsh figured that Gyadarun had heard him since he had retreated back a few paces, allowing space for the lavender-haired man to move to the door. Karsh's legs felt like lead but he somehow managed to move them toward the door and out into the hallway, where he stopped and looked back at the cyborg just in time to see the lab door slam shut behind him.  
  
Karsh stood for a few seconds in front of the door, letting the feeling return to his legs before he trudged dejectedly back to his room on the upper floor. Dragoons he'd met on the way there gave him concerned looks and a few of them even asked if he was alright. They were waved off as Karsh finally reached his room. He had no desire to speak to anyone at the moment. Being out in the open with such a noticeable wounded look made him feel more vulnerable then he already was. Karsh hated feeling weak, especially now.  
  
The second he was inside his room, however...  
  
"DAMMIT!!" he growled in frustration as he slammed the door to behind him so hard that it made the vase on the side table fall off and shatter on the floor with a resounding crash. Karsh blankly looked over at the shattered remains of glass that lay still and silent on the floor. Ironically enough, in an abstract way it reminded him of the incident in the lab and his pitiful efforts in speaking to Gyadarun. The glass had burst apart in a single instant of motion and the vase itself was beyond salvageable.  
  
Just like the shattered hopes he had.  
  
But what had he originally hoped for?  
  
The thought occurred to Karsh that he had absolutely no clear idea of why he went down to look for Gyadarun. What was he hoping to accomplish by digging up the past? He hadn't seen the Porre cyborg in two years. What did he expect out of him anyway? Karsh blindly ran down to Lutianna's lab just because Glenn said Gyadarun would be there. No thought given to how Gyadarun would feel about seeing him. The deva sighed and ran his gloved fingers though his untidy, long hair.  
  
Was I actually expectin' him to fall in love with me? Karsh asked himself, now thinking that, if he wasn't head over ass in love with the cyborg to begin with, the situation would be extremely funny. Even so, a few rogue tears threatened to leave his eyes at the thought of how he'd be laughing at himself if he was anyone else. "Gods...I'm such an idiot..."  
  
He had just seen the person who made his heart do flip-flops and that very same person had made it quite clear that he gave as much regard to Karsh's existence as he did dirt. Karsh couldn't understand it. The somewhat conversation they were having wasn't going all that bad. Gyadarun had been answering the deva's pathetic small-talk questions and even asking some of his own, even though Karsh was hesitant to reply to some of them. Everything had been going so well until Lutianna arrived...  
  
Lutianna! the idea suddenly hit the deva. The second she had walked in, Gyadarun had all but threatened him to leave the lab. Before that, he really hadn't minded Karsh being there. Why did...?  
  
Some ideas and theories came into his head as he pondered over where Lutianna fit into the equation. Some ideas ranging from her repairing or modifying Gyadarun to him being in love with her. Karsh prayed the latter wasn't the case but the still creeping fear that it might be tugged at his troubled mind. With what he knew about Gyadarun, there was always an 'if' involved. A familiar prickling at the corners of his eyes caused him to squeeze them shut in an effort to fight tears. He hadn't cried once since he had killed Dario. The same empty feeling was there but for a completely different reason. Karsh had loved Dario and been forced to kill him to save his own life. This time, he was in love with Gyadarun and the detached bionic man seemed to have little to no interest in him.  
  
"It's not fuckin' fair!!" the deva raged, slamming his fist repeatedly against the wall by the door in anger. Adrenaline pumped wildly through Karsh's veins in response to the deva's animosity, allowing his hand to succeed in making it's mark on the abused wall that lay in it's path until he ceased abruptly, his hand, throbbing in pain, as it nestled uncomfortably in the indentations it had made  
  
Karsh sighed, exhausted by his little tantrum/outburst, and let himself slide down to the floor. Pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them, he set his head on his knees, burying his face in the fold of his arms. He felt like a child, curling up into a little ball and on the verge of crying because something didn't go the way he wanted it to.  
  
_Karsh, one of the great Arcacian Dragoon Devas... _he thought, mockingly as he buried his head in the fold between his arms and let himself cry like he had wanted to the second the lab door has slammed shut in his face.  
  
_It isn't fair..._

TBC  
  
Note: Sorry this chapter sucked. I have no idea how to write Karsh angsting so this is really OOC. ;;


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**:_ By the heart that was torn by the darkness _

-------------------------------------  
  
"Don't you tink you ver a bit harsh?" Lutianna asked the tall cyborg man as he walked away from the door he had just slammed shut. She had never been the best of friends with Karsh but it was rather unnerving to see him practically cower before the Porre assassin. She couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for the Dragoon deva.  
  
"No." Gyadarun answered curtly as he walked up to the main examination table, fixing Lutianna with a piercing stare. "Will-you-perform-the- modifications-now?"  
  
The word 'modifications' lit up a giddy fire in the eccentric scientist's eyes and she let out a loud, haughty cackle. "Ohhohoho! But of course! Lay down on de examination table." she ordered as she turned around and began pulling parts out of the box she'd brought with her and putting them together. Gyadarun stared at the examination table and raised a skeptical eyebrow.  
  
"Is-the-table-sterilized?" he asked, watching a small bug-like thing that, by the look of it, was an escapee from one of the other cages, crawl across the examination table he had been told to lay down on.  
  
"Of course. Vhy?" the violet haired woman asked, not turning around as she set a thin metal IV holding hook up next to her and went to work on filling an IV bag with some clear liquid that Gyadarun recognized as a sedative. He was wary to take her word for it but, having turned his back on Porre, he had no choice if he wanted the modifications he desired.  
  
Very-well. he thought as he easily sat himself on the examination table and, casting one last look at Lutianna, who was hanging the IV bag on the hook, he lay himself down and closed his eyes.  
  
"This vill sting a bit." was the last thing he heard her say before he felt a pinch in his organic arm of the needle. He waited calmly for the drug to take effect and tried to relax himself. Tension would only slow the effects of the sedative and he wanted the modifications done as soon as possible.  
  
The feeling of a foreign liquid entering his bloodstream was familiar to him. He'd spent most of the past 4 years before his encounter with Serge in a laboratory being sedated and experimented on. Blood was constantly being drawn from his repeatedly punctured veins. One more needle wouldn't make that much of a difference. Besides, Lutianna was more sympathetic and 'humane' then most of the Porre scientists that he'd known.  
  
His eyes felt heavy...which meant the sedative was taking effect. The ceiling above him grew steadily blurry and suddenly changed colors inexplicably, turning from the gray roughened granite to smooth white...just like the laboratories in Porre; clean, perfect and full of painful memories. Gyadarun blinked, his dulled mind suddenly taking in the fact that he was now seeing the Porre lab instead of Lutianna's beat up mad scientists haven.  
  
_A-side-effect-of-the-sedative. _he thought, the mechanical dauntlessness that was installed in his mind through years of conditioning and experiments clashed against the cold human fear that was welling up in the pit of his stomach. Fear wasn't something he was accustomed to feeling as of late, but the Porre labs was a time he preferred not to remember.  
  
Hundreds of scientists, all clad in pristine white; their faces silhouetted by the blinding lights from above that were aimed directly at him, observing him like the laboratory specimen he was. White walls and dark figures clad in white with needles other complex-looking instruments that looked as if their use would be painful; which it always was.  
  
White rooms meant pain.  
  
Scientists promised to deliver that pain.  
  
Gyadarun squeezed his eyes shut, hating the loss of mental control that he used to keep memories of the white labs in Porre out of his waking mind as it slowly slipped into merciful unconsciousness, blocking out the sound of the lab door opening and Lutianna's cry of alarm.

TBC! 


	6. Chapter 5

Note: I'm gonna scare a few peeps with another very very minor and very very weird pairing in this fic. Please don't hate me...and MST this if you want...just be sure to email me a copy, k'?

**Chapter 5: _Cry out the feeling that was kept to yourself_**

* * *

"HM?" The loud voice of the largest Deva boomed in question, ceasing his movements as his helmeted ears picked up soft, mournful noises coming from the next room.

Karsh's room.

The mixture of a frustrated whine and a passionate moan that came from the lean form under him went unnoticed by the helmeted deva. His mind was too preoccupied with concern for the lavender-haired man next door. Was something wrong with Karsh? What had happened in the time that they had parted company? The tall man tried to move his head closer to the wall, so he could rest his helmet against it to possibly hear better but a pair of long, milky white legs wrapped around his muscled waist, keeping him from leaning anywhere. Looking down, Zoah was met with a narrowed pair of sky blue eyes and a baby-fine face that was scrunched up in a pouty glare. Someone wasn't pleased.

"Is there something wrong, mon amour?" his lover asked, frowning, an added accent tainting the words. Zoah shook his helmeted head quickly, not wanting the feminine blonde to over-react...as he always seemed to do at inappropriate times.

"NOT WITH YOU..." he boomed tenderly, smiling inside his helmet at the blonde, who obviously didn't see the expression. "I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT KARSH."

A sculpted eyebrow raised skeptically. "Karsh? Why are you suddenly thinking about Karsh?" the tone in his voice hinted lightly at jealousy for the wrong reason. Zoah panicked at what his lover was assuming and quickly shook his head, his first reaction to the blond's habit of jumping to conclusions.

"NO, NO! NOT LIKE THAT!" he said, then rolled over, pulling out of his smaller lover. His concern about the lavender-haired man, who was one of his best friends, never went past platonic(Karsh wasn't his type anyway) and one thing Zoah did not need at the moment was a pouty, jealous lover on his hands. "I JUST..." he sighed then proceeded to tell all about the encounter in the hallway, how Karsh was in a hurry to 'meet' someone and the soft noises that sounded like sobbing coming from Karsh's room at that moment. The blonde listened intently, nodding every now and then at something in the retelling that seemed to be of particular interest. Finally, he rolled off the bed and went over to pick through the pieces of discarded clothing that had been carelessly tossed aside when Zoah had returned to their room that evening, searching for something. Zoah turned over to watch, somewhat confused.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, PIERRE?" he asked as his lover pulled on the dragoon's fluffy robe, which was several sizes too big his smaller frame.

"Just putting something on" the false Frenchman chimed as he tied the wrap of the robe into a sturdy knot around his waist. "You worry for your friend, oui? If you worry, moi worries too. Moi will go see what is wrong with him!"

Zoah simply stared at the determined man, who looked dwarfed in the huge robe, as if he had lost what little common sense he had already. "KARSH DOESN'T LIKE YOU, PIERRE. HE'S NOT GOING TO JUST SPILL HIS GUTS TO ANYONE WHO'LL LISTEN." This caused Pierre to frown in his normal, pouty sort of way.

"But...I can try, mon amour." he said, suddenly smiling and striking what Zoah assumed was supposed to be a heroic pose, elegantly flipping his curly flaxen hair behind his shoulders. "Unlike fighting, moi is quite skilled in the area of love; which is what ails your friend, oui?" with that, he strolled past Zoah and over to the door, blowing a kiss and winking at the helmeted man before he left.

Zoah stared at the door for a few seconds and sighed, shaking his head. Something about the wording of what Pierre said made him worry slightly, but he pushed it aside knowing that Pierre was extremely faithful to him and that Karsh would more likely beat the garish blond to a pulp then sleep with him...a thought which, unfortunately, birthed new uneasiness in Zoah. _'I HOPE HE COMES BACK TO ME IN ONE PIECE...'_

* * *

_Knock Knock_

Karsh practically jumped away from the door when he heard the sound of a fist banging on the other side. Who the hell would come visit him this late at night? The slight hopefulness that it was Gyadarun entered Karsh's mind before the rational side of his brain pushed the thought aside. There was no possible reason that the cyborg would actually want to come near him again. Dejectedly, Karsh got up, wiping his face clean of tears and checking quickly in the mirror to make sure his face wasn't red from crying. The knocks became more persistent and Karsh slowly opened the door.

Both of the lavender-haired deva's eyebrows shot up at the sight that presented itself on the other side of his door.

The fruitiest man Karsh had ever known in his entire life(next to Slash, anyway) was standing right outside his door, smiling pleasantly at him as if there was nothing wrong with him visiting Karsh in the middle of the night. One thing that the deva did notice with some curiosity was that Pierre was clad in a huge robe that he recognized as the birthday present Marcella had given Zoah last year. Implications presented themselves is Karsh's mind, all of them making his stomach somewhat weak.

"Hello." the blonde man said pleasantly, "May moi come in?" In, possibly, some hope of making a better impression on his being there, Pierre flashed a toothy smile that reminded Karsh of a drawing the Termina local artist did advertising the latest thing in hygiene: toothpaste.

"No." Karsh said curtly and threw the door closed, only to find it's path blocked by something, which turned out to be Pierre's foot. Karsh shot the effeminate man a dark glare, silently telling him that if he didn't remove his foot from the door's path, that Karsh would remove his foot from his leg.

Amazingly enough, Pierre managed to ignore it and continue talking. "You are certainly in a very foul mood tonight. What's wrong?"

"Get your foot out of my door." Karsh said in a slow and dangerous voice that would make any Dragoon soldier piss themselves. Pierre could almost swear he could hear the last of Karsh's nerves snapping in half. "I don't care why you're in the Manor; I don't care why you're wearing Zoah's robe and I don't care if you express such an interest in my problems. I wanna be left alone! NOW, GO THE FUCK AWAY!"

Karsh reached out quickly and shoved Pierre away from the doorway with one hand

Even after his outburst, Karsh still had the mind enough to notice the change in Pierre face at the tirade. His pleasant smile vanished and his face took on a less air-headed look. Full pouty lips drew into a thin, pursed line and crystal blue eyes narrowed slightly, displaying anger and annoyance. It was the first time Karsh could say he'd ever seen someone as deluded and senseless as Pierre suddenly look so serious...Karsh humorously noted that it was almost like the blond had finally grown some balls of his own.

_'Two years could change a person...'_ a small voice in the back of Karsh's head stated matter-of-factly and Karsh found himself agreeing with it until he saw a pale fist heading straight for his face, felt it connect with his nose and another connect with his stomach. Catching the deva completely off guard, the blows knocked Karsh back farther then he would have had he been ready for an attack and made him topple into a graceless heap on the floor, allowing Pierre to enter the Deva's room without worrying about any blockades.

_Correction...'_ Karsh mentally told the small voice as he clutched his bleeding nose with one hand and tried to push himself into a sitting position with the other. '_...two years can really change a person.'_

A shadow passed over Karsh's sitting form. The sulky deva glared up at the false Frenchman, who had his hands on his hips along with a defiant, disapproving and altogether too feminine glare that reminded Karsh very much of the amazonian Orlha from Guldove.

_'He's gone from a complete wuss to an effeminate monster...'_ Karsh thought, not sure whether it was an improvement or not.

Pierre stood near Karsh for a few moments, towering over the Deva with the most menacing air he could muster...which caused the lavender haired man to be mildly surprised for a few seconds, but not much else. Sighing, Pierre's delicate features softened and he stretched a hand down to Karsh, offering to help the deva up. A defiant snort came from the man on the floor as he swatted the blond's hand away and pushed himself up with little effort. When he managed to steady himself, Karsh shot Pierre a dark look that made the other man back up a pace cautiously.

"So...fruity boy..." Karsh smirked at the look on Pierre's face darken significantly at the taunt. "You've gotten in here now whaddaya want?" Karsh moved gracelessly over to the seat at his dresser and sat himself down, facing Pierre with folded arms and a look of forced patience.

"Oui, I came here to ask what's wrong." the blond's statement came as somewhat of a surprise to Karsh. How did the fruit know something was wrong?

Karsh narrowed his eyes defensively, leaning back in his seat. "What makes you think something is wrong? Other then the two nice bruises I can thank you for, I'm fine." The deva rubbed his nose, which was slightly red, to emphasize his point.

"Karsh..." Pierre sighed in a coaxing, tired voice. He lifted a dainty hand and rubbed his temples. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back in Zoah's room...getting comfy in Zoah's bed...with Zoah, but he was in the room next door, determined to help Karsh to ease his helmeted lover's mind somewhat. This guy was giving him a serious headache. "I know what happened earli-..."

Pierre stopped dead when Karsh jerked his head up, looking directly at Pierre. The color had practically disappeared from Karsh's handsome, tanned face. Golden eyes widened in shock and confusion as an initial response but, contrary to the anger Pierre expected, shock melted into what looked like sorrow. Biting back the old urge to point it out in a foppish fashion, Pierre silently watched the Deva; noting that Karsh's posture had also taken a quick turn; going from relaxed to stiff in mere seconds.

"How would you know what happened earlier?" Karsh's voice sounded pained and angry, like he wanted to deck the blonde man right in the nose for what he said. Pierre was puzzled his reaction. Zoah had told him everything up to the point when Karsh had left the company of the other two devas and, according to Zoah, the lavender-haired deva had been fine. Karsh's reaction now seemed to scream something was terribly wrong and that it had happened in the time between. He now saw Zoah's reason for concern.

"Um...Zoah told me." he answered honestly. Karsh's face turned from puzzled to confused.

"How would Zoah..." he stopped himself, realization dawning on his tanned features. Letting out an exasperated sigh, the deva slumped back into his chair, his face relaxing. "Never mind...Zoah only knows so much."

Pierre raised a curious eyebrow. Had Zoah left something out? "What do you mean?"

His response upset Karsh even more as the other man mustered a tired glare before pushing himself out of his chair and slowly made his way to the door, dragging his feet.

"Where are you going?" Pierre asked when Karsh reached the door.

"Out..." came a tired reply as Karsh turned the knob and dragged himself out into the hallway. About halfway down, he heard the distinct sound of bare feet treading behind him. Stopping, he turned his head to see the still robe-clad Pierre walking a few paces behind him. "Why the hell are you following me?"

"I promised to help, mon ami!" the chirpy voice kneaded at Karsh's nerves. He did not need this now.

"IN THAT?" Karsh yelled, exasperated, and pointed to the large robe that was slowly sliding off Pierre's shoulders of its own accord. The false Frenchman blushed and pulled the robe back up and, turning around quickly, undid the tie of the robe and rewrapped it around himself. Karsh buried his face in his hands, silently asking any gods who were listening what he'd done to deserve this.

Neithernoticed the shadows that leaked under the partially closed door cast from the hallway light.

TBC


End file.
